Apartment Dwellers and Pets

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Hey guys,

I'm wondering if any of the pet-owners here also live in apartments. i have a canary in mine, but im talking about dogs and cats.

myself and my partner live in a good sized apartment which is close to a couple of parks (herbert, merrion/fitzwilliam square and st. stephens green)
we have access to a private terrace and a public roof terrace which is quite large but mostly unused. we go for walks regularly to these places, so it's already part of our routine.

I would love a little dog like a teacup chihuahua, yorkie, scottie or bichon frise or miniature schnauzer. these are small dogs that i think would be comfortable in an apartment of our size. my partner however, believes that it would be unfair for the dog. i do see some people around walking dogs, and there are some dog owners in our block.

we're after coming back from new york and there are an awful lot of people, presumably living in apartments, walking their dogs.

does anybody here share an apartment with their dog?
what type of dog do you have, and which do you feel are most suitable to apartments?
Or, do you think it would be unfair for a dog?

i would love to hear what you guys think.

thanks in advance
SmS

MsFifers

Well I lived in an apartment until recently and lots of people living there had pets. I had 2 cats, and I had 3 different sets of neighbours with dogs. All animals seemed v. content, but the important thing was (I think) the dog owners were all at home a lot, so were able to bring the dogs out multiple times a day for walks, fresh air, toileting and amusement.

They also used to help each other out, so if someone was going away for a weekend or was out for a lot of the day, then another owner would pet sit.

You would need to check the terms of the rental or purchase agreement, as some apartment blocks have an outright ban on pets, but most allow them as long as they are not disturbing other residents - a "yappy" dog could become really annoying for your neighbours.

I hear that greyhounds can be good apartment dogs too because they don't need huge amounts of exercise, and are generally not too noisy. There are tons of greyhounds needing rescue so you might be able to do a good deed.

Just make sure that you are going to be in a position to be around during the day so that the doggie isn't going to be left for long hours looking at the same four walls.

iseethelight

Are you renting or do you own
If renting you ned to check with your landlord/letting agent if pets are allowed and if you own check the lease-many mgt. co.'s don't allow dogs.


if allowed a dog should be ok if its small and you exercise it properly.I don't know much about it but avoid anything with excessive barking tendencies.

I live in 1st floor apt and got a cat from the dspca tbh i think cats adept better to this type of environment.

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MsFifers wrote: »

Well I lived in an apartment until recently and lots of people living there had pets. I had 2 cats, and I had 3 different sets of neighbours with dogs. All animals seemed v. content, but the important thing was (I think) the dog owners were all at home a lot, so were able to bring the dogs out multiple times a day for walks, fresh air, toileting and amusement.

They also used to help each other out, so if someone was going away for a weekend or was out for a lot of the day, then another owner would pet sit.

You would need to check the terms of the rental or purchase agreement, as some apartment blocks have an outright ban on pets, but most allow them as long as they are not disturbing other residents - a "yappy" dog could become really annoying for your neighbours.

I hear that greyhounds can be good apartment dogs too because they don't need huge amounts of exercise, and are generally not too noisy. There are tons of greyhounds needing rescue so you might be able to do a good deed.

Just make sure that you are going to be in a position to be around during the day so that the doggie isn't going to be left for long hours looking at the same four walls.

thank you. both myself and himself work 9-5 but are there during the weekend and evenings. that concerns me, but surely it is common that pets are left alone while the owners have to work?

our lease is agreeable with it, providing it doesnt infringe on others. i dont think a dog would tho - we have a corner apt with only offices below and no-one above and no other neighbours on our corridor for now.

Discodog

I would have no problem with my two large dogs (saluki & greyhound) in an appartment but they are used to being left during the day & have each other for company. Also they get a long off lead walk before I go to work & another when I get home.

I was just about to post the very same thread!!

I hope you don't mind me hijacking yours OP!

I live in a very large apt I work 9-5 (as does my husband) but close to home so I would walk a dog first thing each morning and each evening when I get home. Is this ok? to leave a dog all day on their own indoors? Even if I had a house I would prefer a house dog anyway, rather than a dog left out in a kennel all night?

Any suggestions as to what kind of dog would be best under these circumstances, I have a 4 year old little girl also.

Thanks a mil

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Deleted User wrote: »

I was just about to post the very same thread!!

I hope you don't mind me hijacking yours OP!

I live in a very large apt I work 9-5 (as does my husband) but close to home so I would walk a dog first thing each morning and each evening when I get home. Is this ok? to leave a dog all day on their own indoors? Even if I had a house I would prefer a house dog anyway, rather than a dog left out in a kennel all night?

Any suggestions as to what kind of dog would be best under these circumstances, I have a 4 year old little girl also.

Thanks a mil

not at all whoopsadaisydoodles, i would like to see as many opinions as possible, and also from other people thinking the same!

my partner is coming around to the idea...i think i'd like a teacup Chihuahua!

Discodog

Please remember that you cannot leave a puppy all day on it's own. You have to teach a dog to learn to be left by gradually increasing the time. It is much easier with two dogs. I was a one dog man but now I would always have two. Mine curl up together on one bed . Remember that all dogs are pack animals they need you around or another dog.

If you decide to get a dog choose a time when you can take time off so that you can acclimatise it to being left. Then take turns to come home at lunchtime etc. Just as with a child the character of your dog & how it behaves with your child depends on it's early time with you. Teaching the child how to behave with the dog is essential. There are never bad dogs just bad owners.

Please think of the 17000 dogs that will be destroyed this year & maybe give one of them a home.

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Discodog wrote: »

Please remember that you cannot leave a puppy all day on it's own. You have to teach a dog to learn to be left by gradually increasing the time. It is much easier with two dogs. I was a one dog man but now I would always have two. Mine curl up together on one bed . Remember that all dogs are pack animals they need you around or another dog.

If you decide to get a dog choose a time when you can take time off so that you can acclimatise it to being left. Then take turns to come home at lunchtime etc. Just as with a child the character of your dog & how it behaves with your child depends on it's early time with you. Teaching the child how to behave with the dog is essential. There are never bad dogs just bad owners.

Please think of the 17000 dogs that will be destroyed this year & maybe give one of them a home.

yes, i think the responsible thing to do would be to allow it to get used to being left alone, and i agree about the second dog too.

i'd never dream of getting a puppy on sunday and leaving it alone on monday while i go to work!

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Show_me_Safety wrote: »

yes, i think the responsible thing to do would be to allow it to get used to being left alone, and i agree about the second dog too.

i'd never dream of getting a puppy on sunday and leaving it alone on monday while i go to work!

agreed! I would have family to check on the dog during the day for the first while. I'm not sure I would get a puppy either definitely would be a rescue dog. I have kept dogs before, just never in an apartment. Two dogs just wouldn't be an option for me though I don't think.

MsFifers

The thing I'm wondering about re: working 9 - 5 is what will the dog do for toilet breaks? I don't have a dog so I don't know if you can train one to use a litter tray, but 8 + hours a day having to hold on seems excessive! Would you be able to come home at lunchtimes and give it a stroll?

My friend's flatmate had a chihuahua living in their apartment, but it got v. depressed because she wasn't home at all during the day. It looked so sad. In the end she gave it to her parents who had a garden so at least it got a chance to run around and have a change of scene.

I just think it is ok to have a dog in an apartment, but I think it is a bit unfair to leave a pack animal inside on its own for long periods of time.

Would you consider a cat? They are just as affectionate as dogs if you learn "cat language" , and are tons of fun. They are less affected by being left alone for long periods and they can use litter trays.

EDIT: Just did a quick google on teacup chihuahuas (just out of interest) and I see that they have to eat small amounts of food very regularly or else they can become hyperglycemic. Doesn't sound like its the right fit for you if you are not going to be there during the day.

greenkittie

MsFifers wrote: »

Would you consider a cat? They are just as affectionate as dogs if you learn "cat language" , and are tons of fun. They are less affected by being left alone for long periods and they can use litter trays.

A cat may be ok being left alone for long periods but i think they are MUCH less suitable than a dog for an apartment, when will it ever be able to go outside and run around? At least if you have a dog you can stick it on the lead and bring it out for walks or to somewhere where it can be let off for a run, with a cat you couldn't just let it out because its too dangerous in the city center and you cant bring it out for walks really. So basicly what you have is it cooped up in the apartment permenantly, how would you feel if you were never allowed out of the house for your entire life?

Oh and to the OP, maybe you should reply to the thread with the person looking to rehome a miniture yorkie?

MsFifers

greenkittie wrote: »

A cat may be ok being left alone for long periods but i think they are MUCH less suitable than a dog for an apartment, when will it ever be able to go outside and run around?

The OP said they have access to a private terrace. If it was fenced in and safe, then it sounds ideal for a cat.

Also - lots of cats are indoor only animals. If its what they are used to and they are given a lot of attention and stimulation then they can be quite happy inside.

00112984

We live in a two-bedroom apartment and have a dog- a four month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Lucy.

I work from home fulltime and my husband is out at work all day so it's pretty much me and her ladyship all the time.

Have to say, it has worked out very well. As I type, she's sitting next to me (chewing a shoe :rolleyes:) and spent the previous two hours asleep after a bout of exercise. We live near a number of parks (actually, OP- I figure we live close enough to you!) and bring her to the beach a lot. Her breed is brilliant as they do need regular exercise but a few nice strolls with some ball playing wears her out rather than a larger, very energetic dog who would probably get very bored inside all the time. I've noticed that she sometimes goes a bit mad running aroung the livingroom and hall for maybe 10 minutes before collapsing in a heap to sleep for a few hours. She just seems to do that to use up some excess energy. It's funny because she could be wrecked after a two hour walk but still do it when she comes home (after a sleep) or she might not have had a huge amount of exercise that particular day and do it so it's difficult to guage her bouts of energy. I just put it down to her being a puppy rather than her breed or living indoors.

We have her crate trained so she goes into her crate when she needs a bit of peace. She loves to head in there with a sock or a chew toy and just chill for a while which is very important for a puppy. She also loves our bed and heads in there if something scares her (the hoover and the food processor :rolleyes:). She knows she has areas that are hers and she can relax and just be a dog. I think that sharing a living environment with your dog can be a bit tricky as you run the risk of treating them as a cute little baby sometimes instead of encouraging them to be an actual dog. Saying that, Lucy sleeps in our bed with us so I can't talk!

She's paper trained. We use pee pads that you can get in any pet shop. They're rectangles of stuff that looks like panty liners and absorb the liquid and smell of pee. It needs to be changed every day but they're really great and, if we're anywhere for the weekend and have Luce with us, we bring some along and she'll happy go on that where ever we are. She poos in one area and we just pick it up immediately. To tell you the truth, we always had dogs down home who pooed in the garden but we always picked that up straight away (lived on a farm- poo attracts rats and would have hated to have those near the house) so it's no different.

When we were deciding to get a puppy, we did a lot of research into breeds. Initially, I was looking for a small Chihuahua but decided that they were a little too delicate, size-wise, for us (neither of us are expecially small and the idea of stepping on a 2lb pup horrified us). Plus, a friend of mine has one and, while she's a lovely dog, he barks a lot which seems to be a trait of the breed so a Chi wasn't for us- or our neighbours. We ruled out Yorkies too for pretty much the same reason.

If you do go down the road of getting a Chi, please be very, very carefull in picking a breeder. Firstly, there is no such thing as a teacup or miniature. Usually, this is the runt of the litter or a standard sized female mated with a purposely-bred small male. The females from such a union are at serious risk of problems if they ever end up having a litter. No, having her indoors all the time would eliminate any surprises but, they're so small, a lot of vets aren't prepared to take them on for spaying. By buying from someone advertising "teacups" you're just encouraging someone to mass breed dogs and cause more stress to a female who, if small herself (they'll select a small female with a small male to get the smallest pups possible) is at huge risk while giving birth. If you are going for a Chi, please go down the proper route and deal with a recognised breeder who has the best interest of the dogs in mind- not profits above everything else.
Incidentally, a Chi from a proper breeder is also very expensive to purchase.

If you see Chis advertised online, please be careful. Sadly, most people looking for Chis online are young girls of a certain age so scams are rampant. I know that when I was looking I contacted a few people advertising themselves as breeders in Dublin and selling pups for €1000 but, when I contacted them, they'd have elaborate excuses as to why they're not in Dublin and have just one pup left that they're in a hurry to get rid of before they move abroad. One guy actually e-mailed to say he's just charge me €250 to have a pup couriered to me in Dublin from Belfast!
Be warned!

The other thing is that our puppy is a ball of energy. She loves company and I really can't see how she'd cope being here alone for 9 hours a day. Even as she's playing now, she comes over to me every ten minutes or so for a pet and to shake hands and check in on me. Dogs are social creatures and need either people or another dog to keep them amused. Please bear this in mind.

If you're going to be out of the apartment for a good while each day, would you consider visiting a shelter and talking them through your situation and see if they have any pooches to be rehomed? You might find a lovely, affectionate older dog who loves walks and is happy in his own company for good stretches? Puppies are great but they're hard work!

greenkittie

MsFifers wrote: »

The OP said they have access to a private terrace. If it was fenced in and safe, then it sounds ideal for a cat.

Also - lots of cats are indoor only animals. If its what they are used to and they are given a lot of attention and stimulation then they can be quite happy inside.

Quite happy as they know nothing else? I can't really belive any cat would be an indoor only animal tbh. My cat is always off having a sniff around the garden and going on wee adventures, she would be bored stupid on a pokey terrace.

MsFifers

greenkittie wrote: »

Quite happy as they know nothing else? I can't really belive any cat would be an indoor only animal tbh. My cat is always off having a sniff around the garden and going on wee adventures, she would be bored stupid on a pokey terrace.

Well one of my cats likes to be indoors 99% of the time! She goes as far as 5 feet out the back door for a look around after her breakfast and then is inside again for the rest of the day!

Different personalities in different animals!

When I lived in an apartment, I had 2 cats there who were indoors 99% of the time. They had climbing frames, toys, exercise, things to chase, windows to look out of - they never once showed any sign of distress. Since I moved out, one of them is delighted to be able to explore the garden, but the other one prefers the inside.

On the other hand, I'm minding "free range" cats for a friend at the moment and one of them disappeared 3 weeks ago and I have no idea what happened to him.

So just saying, not to rule indoor cats out completely.

00112984

greenkittie wrote: »

Quite happy as they know nothing else? I can't really belive any cat would be an indoor only animal tbh. My cat is always off having a sniff around the garden and going on wee adventures, she would be bored stupid on a pokey terrace.

Many cats are very happy indoors. In fact, many shelters and animal welfare organisations will only adopt cats out to owners who agree to keep them indoors due to the number of kittens and cats each year who are killed on the roads, in fights, in fox traps etc.

www.kittenadoption.ie was one but I can't get onto the site right now.

It's widely accepted that cats can do well both indoors and outdoors.

Show_me_Safety

Thank you for all your replies, they're very informative- especially 00112984 's.

i think the small amount of food needed a regular times can be resolved by a timed feeder. i don't want to depress my dog, whatever breed i choose by leaving it alone for long periods of time! that's my main concern at the moment.

i understand the time and money needed in getting a new puppy, and i'm not making the decision lightly so i feel prepared for that.

i knew that yorkies were yappy, i didn't realise chi's are as yappy to although my canary is likely to burst into repitoire at anytime! i believe the apartments are sound proofed so that also is less concerning.

again, thank you everyone!

Show_me_Safety

also, i think a cat would be out.
thank you for the suggestion, i grew up with kittens and cats.
i have a few who would roam around outside and never see the inside of the house untill we were eating our sunday roast...and others who would never leave it! it does depend on the personality. as far as im aware, dogs can be trained to go on newspaper!
my partner is not too keen on cats.

sorella

It is the leaving a small puppy alone for long whiles that concerns most.

An older rescue dog would adapt better probably and have more resources to cope.

Chis are yappy; and also very affectionate.

But leaving food for them to graze is fine also; we have them in Canada...

RaverRo808

I keep an aquirium and two snakes in my apartment,the management company and the landlord doesnt allow for petsto be kept,but f*ck em,I love animals,I wouldnt risk a dog though,I think it would be cruel to keep a dog in an apartment block,a dog needs access to a large open space whenever it needs be